Looking for lightning Synergy

[Phhase]

I've been looking at tempest cleric's Channel Divinity (maximize lightning or sonic damage), and it's making me think there must be some kind of crazy combo in there somewhere. Ascendent dragon monk aside (since that's unarmed attack only), is there any way to convert the damage of a weapon attack into lightning or sonic damage?

Outside of that, what are some other good combos? Outside of the obvious, like lightning bolt and call lightning.

[Mastikator]

A Cleric 2/Sorcerer x with transmute meta magic can turn most damaging spells into viable channel options.

You can use clockwork soul sorcerer to negate any advantage on save a spell resistant target might have

Fireball transmuted into lightning/thunder (48 save half). Vitriolic Sphere is also a contender (40 then 20 save half). Chain Lighting would deal 80 damage per target (save half). Firestorm for 70 per target.

[strangebloke]

So in general, the problem here is that the obvious uses are the best uses. Lightning bolt is simply one of the best evocation spells already and maximizing it changes the damage output from 14-28 to 24-48, which is pretty insane at this level. Shatter, which is already on the cleric list, is almost as good, improving from 6.25-13.5 to 12-24. (Thunderwave fits up here too)

But for more options, sorcerers can transmute any elemental damage spell to lightning with metamagic. One example here would be vitrolic sphere, which jumps from 12-37.5 damage to 20-52.5. Cone of Cold can be pushed from 18-36 to 36-64.

You can get thunder damage on a weapon attack with booming blade. The initial effect is pretty weak, just 1d8 during t2, but the secondary effect is much better when it procs. In t3 its basically a free shatter.

[quindraco]

Probably the most obvious combo ignoring MADness is with a Scribes Wizard; in general, the synergy here is best with a 2-dip in Cleric, since the CD has flat/no scaling - it does everything it's going to do as soon as you get it, and it works on non-cleric spells just fine.

[Naanomi]

Storm or Blue-Dragon sorcerers have lightning boosting in various ways as well

[DarknessEternal]

Storm or Blue-Dragon sorcerers have lightning boosting in various ways as well

Not good ways though.

[strangebloke]

Not good ways though.

Look, the sorcerer class is undertuned and they tried to fix this by overtuning later subclasses, but the +CHA to damage ability is objectively pretty good. Not worth transmuting the spell for, but if you're just trying to get big lightning damage.

[Dork_Forge]

Look, the sorcerer class is undertuned and they tried to fix this by overtuning later subclasses, but the +CHA to damage ability is objectively pretty good. Not worth transmuting the spell for, but if you're just trying to get big lightning damage.

For something like Lightning Bolt, it's basically better than upcasting, for no additional cost, and goes a decent way to reducing disappointment from low rolls.

[strangebloke]

For something like Lightning Bolt, it's basically better than upcasting, for no additional cost, and goes a decent way to reducing disappointment from low rolls.

yeah, we're getting a bit off topic here, but at level 6 a draconic sorc can drop an empowered lightning bolt or fireball that deals 37 damage on an enemy that fails their save, compared with normal damage of 28. People make a lot of hay about the evoker being 'better' because of overchannel and +INT to all evocation spells but those are solidly t3 abilities. Sorcerer is a better blaster in the tier you actually play in.

[stoutstien]

I've been looking at tempest cleric's Channel Divinity (maximize lightning or sonic damage), and it's making me think there must be some kind of crazy combo in there somewhere. Ascendent dragon monk aside (since that's unarmed attack only), is there any way to convert the damage of a weapon attack into lightning or sonic damage?

Outside of that, what are some other good combos? Outside of the obvious, like lightning bolt and call lightning.

For weapon attacks specifically you have booming blade and the armorer (infiltrator) artificer to work with.

TBH I've never been sold on this CD. The subclass as a whole is really well put together with really no bad features but I wouldn't dip just for the max damage.

[sithlordnergal]

Heh, if you want the best combo for this, look no further than Tempest Cleric 2 / Order of Scribes Wizard X. Unlike Transmute Spell, its not limited by damage type. So, for example, lets say you have a spell that deals a lot of Bludgeoning and Fire damage, you can change both of those into Lightning damage.

Even better, Wizards gain lightning and thunder damage spells for every spell level except 5th, so its easy to obtain the damage types you need. And finally, the build has some special synergy with the Crusher feat, since there are spells that deal Bludgeoning damage for nearly every spell level too.

You also don't have to use sorcery points to use the ability.

Edit: Go Mountain Dwarf for the double +2 to ability scores, and boom. Now you can wear heavy armor while ignoring the strength requirement. Or you can go Hill Dwarf for +1 to hp

[Witty Username]

I think it came from Treeantmonk but tempest cleric 6/ Scribe wizard X For Lightning Evard's black tentacles since you get the forced movement of Thunderbolt strike and the terrain effect, works with any persistent AOE to some degree.


For weapon attacks specifically you have booming blade and the armorer (infiltrator) artificer to work with.

TBH I've never been sold on this CD. The subclass as a whole is really well put together with really no bad features but I wouldn't dip just for the max damage.

Hm, I am personally not a fan of the Tempest cleric, as least single classed, It feels like the base cleric doesn't have alot of thunder and lightning on it and the class really wants to do that. I think Call lightning is the only spell that they get that works with thunderbolt strike, for example.

[RingoBongo]

I am playing a tempest 8 / swarmkeeper 4 right now and I just got polearm Master, looking to combine with an electric staff -- eldritch staff looks perfect.

[stoutstien]

I think it came from Treeantmonk but tempest cleric 6/ Scribe wizard X For Lightning Evard's black tentacles since you get the forced movement of Thunderbolt strike and the terrain effect, works with any persistent AOE to some degree.



Hm, I am personally not a fan of the Tempest cleric, as least single classed, It feels like the base cleric doesn't have alot of thunder and lightning on it and the class really wants to do that. I think Call lightning is the only spell that they get that works with thunderbolt strike, for example.

Eh l. I think that it's more of an issue of what players are looking for and what the subclass actually provides are at odds. The tempest is a hearty option with some soft blasting, control, and close range presence rather than a lightning/thunder themed blaster. IMO if you renamed the tempest the nature/weather/storm domain it works better.

**Nature domain is basically already the plant/animal domain.**

[strangebloke]

Hm, I am personally not a fan of the Tempest cleric, as least single classed, It feels like the base cleric doesn't have alot of thunder and lightning on it and the class really wants to do that. I think Call lightning is the only spell that they get that works with thunderbolt strike, for example.

At least with the first survey they did, it was the subclass that was rated to be the most fun in the whole game.

Speaking from experience? I had fun.

[Yakmala]

Regardless of how you mix and match your sub-classes, assuming you have at least two levels of Tempest Cleric, and it is within the realm of possibility for your character, attempt to get the following two magic items:

1: Wand of Lightning Bolts: Channel Divinity and release all the charges at once for 84 lightning damage.

2: Amulet of the Devout: Added in TCoE. Lets you use your Channel Divinity feature one additional time per day.